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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To wonder why my 21 month old doesn't like anything sweet...

50 replies

coffeeforone · 25/01/2018 13:41

...except fruit which he loves. He hates chocolate, cake, ice cream, any type of sweet dessert really.

He is a decent eater otherwise and will try most foods, I cant think of anything savoury/hot meals that he doesn't like (except any tomato based main meals and baked beans). He does love cheese, crackers, crisps, raisins, he will drink fruit shoots which are very sweet, and fruit flavored yogurts.

He has been to quite a few birthday parties recently and I've noticed all toddlers his age will enjoy cake, ice cream. He gets very upset if I ask him to try it. He has always been like this, since he 'spat out' his first milky button at 9 months. Its obviously not the end of the world as its all processed sugar anyway and I obviously wouldn't want him to each much of it - but is it a concern that he won't have birthday cake / ice cream?

OP posts:

Buglife · 25/01/2018 14:30

My child was never bothered with sweets and cake etc until he was over 2 and really grasped what they were and was offered them more at parties etc. Now he LOVES them of course, but he also still eats his veg and has a varied diet so it’s fine. He really won’t drink any drink except water or milk though so when offered squash or apple juice etc I say “no he only likes water please” and I know people think that’s me deciding that! But if you offer him juice he goes “noooooo!”

InDubiousBattle · 25/01/2018 14:35

My ds was like this at 20 months. He's 4 now and loves chocolate, cake (but prefers fruit cake) and especially ice cream! He still won't eat marshmallow or sweeties. My 2.6 year old discovered haribo last halloween and woukd literally live off the stuff now.

Chowmum · 25/01/2018 14:37

I'd be more worried about the fruit shoots, TBH. It doesn't sound like he has an aversion to sweet foods, given that he eats fresh fruit and raisins.

No health issue I can think of, so don't worry about it. As others have said, it's probably just texture. If you couldn't taste them, most of the foods you describe would simply feel greasy (try eating unsalted butter on toast for a demonstration!) and that might be what he objects to.

Hairgician · 25/01/2018 14:39

Count it as a blessing!! It's not a concern at all!! My ds is a sweet factory!! Would eat sweets all day if he Could!! We have a treatbox that he gets to choose from at weekends but only if he has eaten his proper food during the day.

Sarahh2014 · 25/01/2018 14:40

Give him time I used to go on about this when ds v small then he just turned the same as most other sugar loving kids

Maatsuyker · 25/01/2018 14:46

I know of two kids who are not into sweets. One is my niece who would rather have sushi and olives than a cupcake and one is a boy that I know who loves fried squid. Some people just don't have a sweet tooth, it's fine.

ViceAdmiralAmilynHoldo · 26/01/2018 15:52

It's not that strange! I've got a teen who really doesn't eat sweet food at all, apart from the odd digestive. But I've also got one who thinks digestives are a savoury thing and would happily eat hairdo for breakfast.

MuffinTip · 26/01/2018 15:56

My nearly 6 year old is like this. She hates chocolate, sweets, cakes. I always wonder how long it will last but she has been like this since I weaned her. My other DD, however, will eat sweet stuff all day 😩

LizzieMacQueen · 26/01/2018 15:58

Can't blame him if it's Cadburys.........

EilaLila · 26/01/2018 20:49

The reason is that you’re a great parent, so congrats.

martellandginger · 26/01/2018 21:14

My dc didn’t eat cakes ice cream or sweets until in school. At 2 he wouldn’t have had access to this kind of food. Still doesn’t eat ice cream or cakes.

Imnotposhjustquaint · 26/01/2018 21:47

Stealth boast?

Your medal is in the post OP

speakout · 26/01/2018 22:03

Both my kids are like this- now teens.
When they get chocolates or an easter egg it will lie unopened for months in their room.
I keep a cupboard in the kitchen for "treats"- and often have to chuck biscuits because they have reached their sell by date. ( OH and I don't have a sweet tooth either.)

On the plus side my teens are slim and have perfect teeth.

Bogmoppit · 28/01/2018 12:54

Maybe you are just amazing at feeding children healthy food and shaping their futures?

Who knows?

Original poster

coffeeforone · 01/02/2018 16:08

Maybe you are just amazing at feeding children healthy food and shaping their futures?

I think this is a bit unfair. I genuinely wonder what it is about chocolate/cake which is why I asked the question. Now others have said I'm not alone I realise that maybe not having a sweet tooth is not that unusual, or its a texture thing.

For the record, I don't enforce too strict a diet on DS, and I wouldn't say his diet is super healthy or anything which is why i listed some of his less healthy choices in my OP. His favourite foods are probably chicken nuggets, sausages, fries, cheese, wot sits and mini cheddars. I would love it if he also enjoyed ice cream, cake and chocolate occasionally and I find it so yummy myself. I just find it strange that he hates them with so much passion.

OP posts:

MissDuke · 01/02/2018 16:15

I wouldn't worry at all op, I honestly don't think it is a medical issue. Food aversions can be down to texture, which can rarely be a sensory issue but who knows at this stage. I cannot think of any other possible medical reason. None of mine had those foods at that age, they don't need them and I would stop trying to force it on him! They aren't needed.

Caterina99 · 01/02/2018 16:22

My DS was like this at 20 months. Not helped by the fact he has an egg allergy so he can’t eat cake anyway. Chocolate and other sweet things spat out in disgust - except fruit. I wasn’t complaining!

This Christmas at age 2.5 grandma gave him some chocolate and he absolutely loved it. Their tastes definitely do change

DullAndOld · 01/02/2018 16:27

" chocolate, cake, ice cream, any type of sweet dessert "

but you are not supposed to be feeding a child this age with these foods..

Original poster

coffeeforone · 01/02/2018 16:32

but you are not supposed to be feeding a child this age with these foods..

Maybe not, but I haven't been to a 1 or 2 year old's party yet where there hasn't been cake on offer.

OP posts:

DullAndOld · 01/02/2018 16:36

hm yes true, but you are not supposed to be offering them so often, that refusal becomes an issue.
or is it some kind of stealth boast?
btw raisins are really bad for teeth.

Rainbowsandflowers78 · 01/02/2018 16:36

Mine was like this too op. Now at 4 he still doesn’t like very sweet things like icing but will eat plain cake, chocolate etc.

It’s a good thing.

ArnoldBee · 01/02/2018 16:41

I watched a fascinating documentary on the BBC about this I think it was part of the Child of our time series.

Basically up until the age of threeish children prefer sour tastes like lemons etc. It's all part of normal development and explains why there's a market for sour Haribo.

RoastDinnerWanted · 01/02/2018 16:42

My DS has never had a sweet tooth either. After his preschooler jabs he refused a chocolate button from the nurse as he didn't like them. She was speechless! He's just turned 14 and had his candles in a Camembert this year rather than going through the motions with cake.

Original poster

coffeeforone · 01/02/2018 16:54

btw raisins are really bad for teeth.

I do know this, I know sugar, fruit, fruit juice etc is bad for teeth. I just used it as an example of one of the less healthy snacks he occasionally has (along with crisps, fruit shoots etc) and loves.

I offer when they are on offer and all other children around are having them, e.g. at most birthday parties, when ice cream is available as part of a set kids menu at a restaurant, when friends/family offer him a chocolate button etc. This is maybe about once a week he is offered something sweet. I don't think that it is too often.

OP posts:

TonTonMacoute · 01/02/2018 17:21

My DS didn’t like sweet things either. It caused quite a stir when he went to a party and didn’t like the Coca Cola!

He wouldn’t drink fruit juice, and although I wouldn’t say he hated chocolate, he certainly wasn’t that fussed about it, and hardly ever ate the chocolate he got at Christmas and Easter. He hated icing on cake, and would scrape it all off, but didn’t mind the cake.

He didn’t grow out of it until he was about 8

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